Elevator system



1946' LEI ROY HJKIES LING I 2,411,332 I ELEVATOR SYSTEM Fi1ed-N6ir.'10. 1942. zsheet -sheet 1 g i JUL w wx INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS- I By -9 hjowlbm Kwut Q Dec. 3, 1946.

LE ROY H. IKIESLIQNG ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Nov. 10. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'zziizi conversant with the subject.

Patented Dec. 3, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE "2,411,882; t

ELEVATOR SYSTEM Le Roy H. Kiesling, Brooklyn, N. Application November 10, 1942, Serial No. 465,111

18 Claims. (01. 187-31) This invention-is a novel elevator System, having reference particularly, to a construction of gate-for closing each gateway-of theelevator, and

to an arrangement for the control of the powerv drive of the elevator operated from a gate,- and to a cooperative combinationof such gate features and control features. v

The improvements hereof is adapted'to various practical uses, for example on passenger or freight elevators, or for dumbwaiters adapted to convey goods from floorto floor, under electric drive and push-button control. The elevator system may comprise one or a plurality of cars, each car traveling between two or more fioorsor stations within a hoistway, meaning any type of trunk or shaft; and the travel being eitherin a vertical manner, with a single car intheshaft, or on the other hand around an orbit, with a succession or train of cars moved step by step from station to station according to the control, exercised at will. Typical instances are for. restaurant or. factory use to shift provisions or goods from floor to floor, or for the elevating of supplies or munitions from a lower to-an upper deck of a ship. In these various instances a gate is substantially essential in '.OId8l to close the elevator gateway, at one or each side of the car,.to confine safely andprevent falling out of goods therefrom.

The general objects of the present invention are to afford, in an elevator or dumbwaiter system of the kinds referred to, greater eiiiciency and con venience combined with safety. A further object is to provide a gate which is self-closing when released from the latch or other means employed to hold open the gate when the car remains stopped in the hoistway. Another object is to provide a simple and reliable. control means fortheelectric or. other drive, operable from the condition of the gate, whether openor c1osed,-and which is sufficiently compact to be accommodated easily within the limited space usually presented in such installations. Further objects andadvantages will be explained in the hereinafter followingdescription of an illustrative embodiment of 'the invention or will be understood by those To the attainment of such objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel elevator system including novel features. of operation. and control and features of collapsible. gate, as .well as novel features of combination, arrangement and constructionherein illustrated. or described.

In. its preferred embodiment the invention, in

a power-driven elevator system, comprises. acar ie whi e e wi ew y n ckers of the link ends, particularly ,2 v is collapsible upwardly for opening, and which undergoes lateral distension during upward collapse, in; cooperation wit a means or switch, to controlthe power operation of the car, and a connection whereby. the lateraldistension of thegate during openingv causes such control means to render inoperative thepower-drive. The lateral position of the gate is determinable, as by'spring meanslocated'near'the lintel.

In a particular aspect the invention may be outlined as consisting ofa power-driven elevator system of the kind wherein the car, or each car in the hoistway, hasa collapsible gate closing its gateway and wherein the control' means comprises a movable contact arm or equivalent member mounted-at a fixed position in the hoistway, for example protruding from a switchbox, and cooperating therewith a shiftable actuator orcam mounted on the car and positioned-to render the power drive inoperative when the gate is open and operative when the gate is shut, and such system being characterized by one or more of the following features. Regarding the'collapsible' gate, this is herein mounted at the top or lintel of the gateway, thus providing self-closing downwardly of the gate by gravitywhen released. Such collapsible gate is preferably of the type, which may be referred to as the lazy-tongs type, composedof crossed links betweentransverse bars, each link pairbeing centrally pivoted like a pair of scissors,

and the link ends tending therefore'to spread or such an elevator arrangement, a special featurehereof is that the shiftable actuator which swings" the switch arm is shifted outwardly or inwardly" on thecar by a mechanical connection from one link, so that during the opening orcollapsing of the gate such link end, spreading outwardly,,acts to thrust outwardly the actuator and thereby actuate the contact arm and control switch and prevent operation of car until .the gate has been again closed.

In the accompanying drawin s, Fig, l is a perspective view of an elevator. or dumbwaiter car embodying the gate and control features of the present invention, with the gate shown initslowered, expanded or closed position. :Fig, 2, on a larger scale, is a: rightelevation as a t r pe t-se terPage en-l li and vice Versa, the

a top end of a top bars placed in tute upright .closing movements.

gatemovements on the car .the controlling switch on the hoistway wall. Cam 22 acts as a shoe to thrust the arm.

3 of Fig. 1, showing the and latched so.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation view showing the cooperation of the control means on the car and those in the shaft or hoistway, the wall of which appears in Fig. 3, the control switch box appearing in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 4, on the same scale with Fig. 2, is a front elevation view partly, broken away and partly shown in vertical section view. I I

Fig. 5, in perspective, and partly broken away, shows details of the collapsing gate bars and the latch means to hold open the gate.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation View, centrally broken away, showing particularly the construction of certain parts at the lower end of the car.

Fig. 7 is a left elevation and part section taken on the section line 'l'! of Fig. 6.

Referring in detail to the structure shown in the drawings, th hoistway or shaft wall 9 is not shown except partially by indication thereof in Fig. 3. The car Ill is shown .in the form of a conventional dumbwaiter, but the illustration omits gate collapsed and open any showing of the hoisting meansor cables or the power operating means or motors or the push buttons or similar manual controlling means at the respective floors or stations of the system. The car It! may be described as comprising a ceiling or top wall H and a floor or bottom wall l2,

near the edge of which i provided a cylindrical roll l3 to assist loading heavy goods; and right 'and left side walls 14, the car being shown open at both front and back sides, providing two gateways, the front one of which is shown as closable by a collapsible gate, while the othermight' be similarly or otherwise closed.

Describing further the car construction, it is shown as having four corner uprights l6, and

across the top front a lintel or fixed beam l7.

These structural members and the walls maybe suitably interconnected, as by Welding. The cor- ,ner uprights I 6, especially at the two sides of the front gateway, are shown in'the form of channel Also the lintel I! may be hollow, constituting a barrel or guide for interior parts; for example, thelintel being shown composed of apair of channels andsecured or welded at the tops of th corner upr'ightsdli. :Qther conventional details of elev a .tor ca r construction will out further reference.

be ,understood, with- Referring next to the operatingcontrol means there is shown at a fixed position in the hoistway, a control memberin the form of a movable arm 20 which for example may be mounted 'swin'g'ingly upon an electric switch box 2| mounted on or in the hoistway wall and containing the switch devices and circuit connections necessary for operation, usually through relays, of the main or power switches by which the electric drive of the car is effected.

Cooperating with the arm 20, which is representative of any switch control member, is shown, mounted on the car, an actuator or retiring cam 22, this being shiftable, and with the arm 20 providing mechanical contacting means whereby the While the shiftable mounting of the actuator or cam'22maybe varied, it is shown as mounted gateway facing opposition, so as to constitracks for the gate opening and l8 facing each other are communicated to thus rendered inoperative :lazy-tongs type, may be horizontal. bars 32 and 33,

desired height of ends of the crossed links.

shown inFigs. .4 and 5 "bottom transverse gate surrounded by a compressed helical spring 25,

arranged within the guiding lintel and taking its seat upon the shank 23 and upon a central abutment or seat 21 which is preferably fixed. For purposes of symmetry, and for centralizing the collapsible gate, there is provided, at the other or righthand side of the abutment 21, a second compression spring 28 bearing upon a slider or shank. 29. The symmetrically opposite sliders 23 and 29 are provided with depending ears or lugs 5 and 53, for the pivoted connection thereto of the topmost gate links, as will be further described.

Coming now to the collapsible gate 3i, this is shown as hung from the lintel I? so that its collapsing is upward, to open the gate, while when released it expand downwardly to close the gate. This is in distinction to the conventional arrangement of collapsible gates the longitudinal movemerits of which are horizontal, and which tend to remain in any position in which they are released. With the present invention the longitudinal movements of, the gate are vertical, and being based upon the top piece of the gateway the strong expanding action of gravity affords reliably the self-closing action of the gate. The gate is shown collapsed or open in Figs. 2 and 4, where it is seen to be latched and held by a device 38 to be described. In this position the actuator 22 is held thrust outwardly and the power while the car remains stopped and the gate open. Power operation can not be applied except after releasing and closing of the gate, which is readily effected by retracting theholding latch, the gravity self action thereupon reliably insuring the complete descent and closing of the gate; thus insuring safety against accidental or premature travel of the car.

The collapsible gate, shown of the preferable described in detail as It comprises a series of transverse or which are guided in their up and down movements by thefixedchannels l6, and which themselves forn guides for the ends of thescissorepivoted links 68. The top cross piece or lintel I 7 may be considered the fixed top bar of the gate, and between this and the bottom bar 33 may be any number of other bars 32, of which four are shown, according to the car; and upon the bottom bar 33 is provided a convenient handle 34 by which the lifting or gate-opening movements may be manually brought about.

Like the fixed top gate bar, guide or lintel l1, each of the transverse bars 32 and 33 is shown consisting of a pair of mutually facing channels 35, thus providing guides or slideways for the The spacing of the two channels for this purpose may readily be effected by the clamping of spacer blocks 33 between the follows;

channels at suitable points, for example near the ends'and at the middle, one such block being near the left end of .the bar 33. At this point may conveniently'be described the releasable latch means'to hold in'its'raised or upper position the collapsible gate. For. the purpose of'such latche. ing one of'the spacing blocks 36 of the transverse bar 33 may be provided with a, short downward extension towhich is attached a horizontal, extension or .1l1g.3'|, projecting for example rearwardly, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. Cooperating with this is a swingable latch 38, seen also in-Figs. l and 2, of the duckbill type, se'pivoted thatits own weight tends to swing it into the latching positionv shown in Figs. 2 and 5. To apply the latch the gate is lifted by its handle 34. somewhat beyond its open position shown in Fig. 2', namely, to a tightly collapsed position as shown in Fig. 4, permitting the latch to swing in below the. lug 31, so that whenthe gate. islet slightlydow-n the parts will take the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the weight of the gate holding the tail ofthe latch pressed against a fixed stop 39. To unlatoh and release the gate for. closing it is only necessary to lift slightly-the handle. 34, permitting the manual swinging away of the latch so. that, upon letting go of the handle the gate will descend forcibly by its own gravity to the closed positionof Fig. l.

The several transverse bars ll, 32 and. 33 of the car gate are caused always to remain parallel to each other, by the action of the crossed links connecting them, and for smooth action the ends of these bars, Where they enter the upright channels it are provided with guide rollers M, as-best shown in Figs. 4, 6 and '7. Itis frequently desir able to stop the closing movement of the gate at a point with the bottom bar 33 slightly above the car floor, as seen in Fig. l, and in such case. the bottom bar may be provided, at each end, with a drop extension or shoe 42, accommodated and sliding within the groove of the guiding channel 16. Near the lower end of the shoe 42 is shown an additional guide roller 4!; so that; the. pair "of guide rollers at each end of the bottom barserves to afford a steadying action and substantially prevent any tilting or inclining of the position of this bar. The bottom bar 33, and the top bar or lintel ll thus. remaining horizontal, all'of the intermediatebars 32 efficiently maintain also a hori zontal position whether or not the gat is in motion. As an additional expedient of advantage there is shown, below the lowest position of the gate, within each of the channels 55, a fixed-block M, these two blocks being secured to theirchane nels and serving, as one purpose, to afford bearings for the cylindrical floor roll. l3. Asanother function, the blocks 44. carry rubber studs. or bumpers 45, upstanding from the blocks and serving to receive the impact of the descending shoes 42 when the, gate is closed. w

The gate is composed oi the describedtransverse bars, preferably horizontahand a, series of links 48, arranged in pairs between bars, each pair of links being symmetrically crossed. and centrally pivoted to, each other We pin or rivet 49. Each of the links which is inelinedidownr wardly toward the right-in the closed gate. position of Fig. 1 is arranged in front of the oppositely inclined link. This permits the two links of the pair above any-given barto be coordinated with the link-pair below the bar, without the need of bending or deforming any link to accommoda e h sm thly to each other and to thebars whether the gate be. open or closed.

Thus the links of each pair are pivotally connected to those of the next pai above and below, namelyby end pivots 50, which are accommates inside of; the. ne roove or theinimmediate-bar. .Thisconstructicn best shown.

. the sliders 23 and 29 in Fig; 2 wherein each pivot pin engages at its centralportion the ends of the two meeting links 48; while, forxsm'ooth running qualities each such pivot. .pincarries at its respective ends small rollers 51, which may be fast orloose upon the pin, and which are confinedwithin the opposite channels 35 of the-transverse guide bar 32. Thus during the openingand closing movements of the collapsible gate, all of the movements of its constituent parts, the transverse bars and the crossed links, are under groove and roller guidance. As regardsthe connection between the lowest pair of links. and the bottom bar 33, the fact that there. is only one link'end at'each sliding pivot can be compensated by applying, upon the'pivot 30. a small dummy piece or spacer, representing the absent link, and conveniently consisting of a washer or roller 52, as indicated inFig. 2.

The top ends of the topmost link pair of the gatedo not move freely, as do those running in thebars 32 or 33 therebelow, but are symmetrically constrained in their approaching and separating .or spreading movements by the symmetrical springs 25 and 28 that are confined between within the hollow lintel. Thus the topmost left link pivot pin 53 is shown as pivoted, not to another link, but to a depending lug or-ear 540i the slider 23; while similarly the top right pivot pin 55 is pivoted to the depending lug 56 of the slider 29 Consequently, as the gate descendingly closes the pivots 53, 55 are drawn. horizontally toward each other, causing the sliders 231 and 29to compress the two springs; and as these springs are preferably equal and are symmetrically centered by the abutment 21 the movement of approach of the two pivots, at the top ends: of the topmost links, is a symmetrical action, the symmetry of which is carried down throughout the entire system of links from the top to the bottom of the gate.

In the arrangement thus described an advantageous action occurs. The springs may be under'slight compression when the gate is open, as in Fig. 4, thus maintaining a tendency to move outwardly the sliders 23 and 29 and to thrust outwardly the actuator or shoe 22 toward the control. arm 20 in the hoistway. When the gate is fully. closed the springs 25 and 28 go under fairly high compression. They are selected however to rovide, under these conditions, insufficient stress to overcome the weight of the gate, wherefore the gatemayclose itself by gravity, and when closed will remain closed. The springs however are at this time under considerable strain and therefore when manual opening of the gate is performed the springs, pressing apart the link ends sDreadingly, afford substantial assistance, relieving greatly the manual work of lifting the gate to open position. In a sense the springs give partial counterbalance in easing the manual effort. As the rising gate however acquires increasing momentum the springs become more and more relaxed so that, due to this fact and to the change of angle of the links, the force of the springs becomes negligible. As the gate risesv to its full open position self actuation will swing the latch 38 under the gate lug 31. In this position the spreading of the topmost link ends. by thrusting outwardly theslider 23 and. shoe 22 will have rendered inoperative the power drive, thiseondition continuing until unlatching and dropping of the gate to closed position. During such gravity drop of the gate the springs. again function advantageously, since their resistance, toygate des en .incr se er sressiveln thus; Preventin excess momentum and retarding the closing movement to a substantial extent, so that the gate comes to its full closed position without any undue shock or impact upon the bumpers 45.

The described spring mechanism is illustrative of a suitable resilient means tending to spread transversely the lazy-tongs side pivots or link ends, and thus tend to lift the gate toward open position, with preferably a symmetrical action.

There has thus been described an illustrative elevator system with car gate and power control features embodying the present invention; but since various matters of combination, arrangement and construction may be Varied within the essence of the invention it is not intended to limit the same to such matters except so far as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A power-driven elevator system having a car in the hoistway with a longitudinally collapsible gate closing the car gateway, and having an operating control means comprising a movable control arm and cooperating therewith a shiftable actuator mounted on the car, said actuator having connections by which it may be positioned by the gate and adapted thereby to render the power drive inoperative when the gate is open and operative when the gate is shut; said system characterized in that the collapsible gate is mounted at the gateway lintel for downward selfclosing by gravity expansion when released. and is composed of a pivoted series of pairs of crossed links between transverse bars whereby the link ends spread transversely apart with the longitudinal collapse of the gate during its opening, and vice versa; said actuator connections being operated by such transverse gate spreading action to cause a shifting of said actuator and thereby a control movement of said control arm to render inoperative the power drive.

2. A system as in claim 1 and wherein is a resilient spring means tending to open the closed gate and to shift the actuator to render inoperative the drive.

3. A system as in claim 1 and wherein is a resilient spring means tending to open the closed gate and to shift the actuator to render inoperative the drive, but insufficiently strong to overcome gravity and lift the gate without supplemental efiort.

4. A system as in claim 1 and wherein is a resilient spring means tending to open the closed gate and to shift the actuator to render inoperative the drive; such resilient means comprising springs arranged to operate symmetrically, and the said actuator connections comprising sliders moved by the said springs and connected to the top ends of the top link pair.

5. A system as in claim 1 and wherein is a pivoted latch adapted by gravity to take a position to hold up the opened gate, but retractible to release the gate, and a stop to resist swing when the gate bears on the latch. 6. A system as in claim 1 and wherein the said actuator connections comprise a sliding shank at the lintel on which the actuator is mounted, the same being shiftable outwardly and inwardly, and said shank being connected to the gate linkage, whereby the link-end spreading action moves outwardly the shank and actuator as the gate opens,

7. A system as in claim 1 and wherein the said actuator connections comprise a sliding shank at the lintel on which the actuator is mounted, the same being shiftable-outwardly and inwardly, and said shank being connected to the gate linkage, whereby the link-end spreading action moves outwardly and shank and actuator as the gate opens; and wherein said sliding shank is spring-pressed outwardly and is directly pivoted to a link end.

8. A power-driven elevator system having a car in the hoistway with a longitudinally collapsible gate closing the car gateway, and having an operating control means comprising a movable control arm and cooperating therewith a shiftable actuator mounted on the car, said actuator having connections by which it may be positioned by the gate and being adapted thereby to render the power drive inoperative when the gate is open and operative when the gate is shut; said system characterized in that the collapsible gate is composed of a pivoted series of linkage members acting to spread transversely apart with the longitudinal collapse of the gate during its opening, and vice versa; and said actuator connections being operated by such transverse gate spreading action and adapted to cause a shifting of said actuator and thereby a control movement of said control arm to render inoperative the power drive.

9. A system as in claim 8 and wherein the said actuator connections comprise a slider shank mounted to move transversely out and in and carrying the actuator, and connecting means between the gate and shank, whereby the gate spreading action during opening moves outwardly the shank and actuator.

10. A system as in claim 8 and wherein the said actuator connections comprise a slider shank mounted to move transversely out and in and carrying the actuator, and connecting means between the gate and shank whereby the gate spreading action during opening moves outwardly the shank and actuator; said connecting means consisting of a direct pivoting of a gate link end to the shank.

11. A power-driven elevator having a car adapted to travel up and down in the hoistway, with a longitudinally collapsible gate closing the gateway, and having an operating control means; said system characterized in that the collapsible gate is a drop gate mounted at the gateway lintel for downward self-closing by gravity expansion when released, and is composed of a series of pairs of pivoted crossed links and transverse guide bars between which the link pairs are connected, whereby the link ends spread transversely with the upward collapse of the gate and vice versa; and in that at the lintel are opposite sliders spring-pressed transversely, to which sliders the top link-ends respectively are pivoted; whereby in the manual opening of the gate such springs assist the starting of the lifting movement, and in the gravity closing such springs retard the drop and reduce impact shock,

12. A power-driven elevator system having in the hoistway a traveling car with a lonigtudinally collapsible gate closing the car gateway, and having an operating control arm and cooperating therewith a shiftable actuator mounted on the car, said actuator having connections by which it may be positioned by the movements of the gate and adapted thereby to render the power drive inoperative when the gate is open and operative when the gate is shut; said system characterized in that the collapsible gate is of the linkage kind with a system of pivoted cross links and has its upper part mounted at the gateway lintel for downward self-closing by gravity expansion when -released,- said actuator -connectionsbeingpperated by the lateral contraction of the linkage system during such gravity expanding action of the gate to cause shifting of said actuator in a manner to effect movement of said control arm to render operative the drive, and vice versa.

13. An elevator system as in claim 12 and wherein the car gate linkage spreads horizontally when collapsing vertically and vice versa, and is fitted for limited bodily shift along the lintel, and there is a resilient spring means acting horizontally upon the gate to determine yieldingly its position along the lintel and with tendency to spread the gate linkage and thereby to lift and open the gate but insufficient to lift it except with supplemental lifting effort applied at will.

14. A power-driven elevator having a car adapted to travel up and down in the hoistway, with a longitudinally collapsible gate of the linkage type closing the car gateway, and having an operating control means for the drive of the car; said system characterizedin that the collapsible gate is mounted at the gateway lintel for down-V ward self-closing by gravity expansion when released, accompanied by horizontal contraction in width of the linkage system, and vice versa, with means actuated by the width contraction and distension of the gate linkage system to operate said control means.

15. An elevator as in claim 14 and wherein the gate is fitted for bodily horizontal shift on the lintel, and there is a resilient spring-means acting horizontally upon the linkage of the gate to position it horizontally and with tendency to distend the gate linkage and thereby to lift and open it but insufficient to lift it except with sup-' plemental lifting effort applied at will.

16. In a power-driven elevator system with its car traveling in a hoistway, and on the car a gate of the lazy-tongs linkage kind comprising a system of crossed and mutually pivoted swinging links, said linkage gate being hung from the gateway lintel and collapsible upwardly for opening and expansible downwardly for closing the gate, and the linkage system of which undergoes horizontal distension during upward collapse and horizontal contraction during downward expansion, in combination with a control switch to con- 10 trol the power operation of the car and a control actuator therefor movably mounted on the car, and a connection from a horizontal end portion of the gate linkage system to said control actuator whereby the horizontal-distension of the linkage systemduring gate opening causes movement of the control actuator and switch to render inoperative the power drive and vice versa.

' 17. An elevator system as in claim 16 and wherein the mounting of the linkage gate upon the lintel is such that the gate linkage may shift bodily horizontally along the lintel, and wherein is spring means near the lintel and associated with the gate in a manner to determine yieldingly the position of the gate linkage along the lintel. 18. A power-driven elevator system having in the hoistway a traveling car with a longitudinally collapsible gate closing the car gateway, and having an operating control means comprising a movable contact arm and cooperating therewith a shiftable actuator mounted on the car, said actuator having connections by'which it may be positioned by the gate and adapted thereby to render the power drive inoperative when the gate is open and operative when the gate is shut; said system characterized in that the collapsible gate is a drop gate mounted at the gateway lintel for downward self-closing by gravity expansion when released, and that such drop gate is composed of a series of pairs of pivoted crossed links and transverse guide bars between which the link pairs are connected, whereby the link ends spread transversely with the upward collapse of the gate and vice versa; and wherein the said actuator connections comprise at the lintel opposite sliders spring-pressed apart transversely, to which sliders the top link-ends respectively are pivoted; whereby in the manual opening of the gate such springs assist the starting of the lifting movement, and in the gravity closing such springs retard the drop and reduceimpact shock; and the said actuator connections thus operated by such gate collapsing and expanding action being thus adapted to cause shifting of said actuator and thereby effect control movements of said contact arm. LE ROY H. KIESLING. 

